Xi Jinping tells Hong Kong’s John Lee country has ‘very high expectations’
By Natalie WongEmily Hung
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Hong Kong’s leader for the second time in a week, telling him the country has “very high expectations” of the city and urging officials to go “all out” to boost the economy.
The pair spoke at a closed-door meeting on Thursday afternoon in Macau, as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu joined Xi on the second day of his visit to the casino hub for celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese administration.
“The country has very high expectations of Hong Kong. [I] hope Lee and the administration will govern firmly and steadily, make all out efforts to boost the economy and strive for development and create a brighter future for Hong Kong,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Xi also reportedly told Lee that Hong Kong and Macau should “learn from each other” and “strengthen exchanges and cooperation”, as the implementation of the “one country, two systems” governing principle entered a new stage.
Lee voiced his gratitude to Xi and pledged to lead the city’s push to develop the economy, improve livelihoods and integrate further into the Greater Bay Area.
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By Natalie WongEmily Hung
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Hong Kong’s leader for the second time in a week, telling him the country has “very high expectations” of the city and urging officials to go “all out” to boost the economy.
The pair spoke at a closed-door meeting on Thursday afternoon in Macau, as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu joined Xi on the second day of his visit to the casino hub for celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese administration.
“The country has very high expectations of Hong Kong. [I] hope Lee and the administration will govern firmly and steadily, make all out efforts to boost the economy and strive for development and create a brighter future for Hong Kong,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Xi also reportedly told Lee that Hong Kong and Macau should “learn from each other” and “strengthen exchanges and cooperation”, as the implementation of the “one country, two systems” governing principle entered a new stage.
Lee voiced his gratitude to Xi and pledged to lead the city’s push to develop the economy, improve livelihoods and integrate further into the Greater Bay Area.
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North Korea’s Kim Jong-un visits father Kim Jong-il’s grave on 13th death anniversary
By Danielle Popov
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a mausoleum for his father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung on Tuesday, to pay tribute to his father.
State media images showed Kim at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where his father and grandfather lie in state. The visit took place on the 13th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death.
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By Danielle Popov
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a mausoleum for his father Kim Jong-il and grandfather Kim Il-sung on Tuesday, to pay tribute to his father.
State media images showed Kim at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, where his father and grandfather lie in state. The visit took place on the 13th anniversary of Kim Jong-il’s death.
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Hong Kong’s MTR rides city’s bear craze with launch of panda-themed trains
By Winnie Wong
Panda-themed trains will run in southern Hong Kong, to and from the airport as well as on the high-speed rail to Shenzhen and Guangzhou as the city ramps up promoting the bears’ presence to drive tourism.
Two trains operating on the South Island Line connecting Admiralty and Ap Lei Chau and a thematic Airport Express train debuted on Thursday with the panda designs.
The service running from West Kowloon terminus to neighbouring Shenzhen and Guangzhou will start in January next year.
“I hope this encourages local passengers and tourists to travel around and brings joy and vibrancy to our city,” said Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, the managing director of the MTR Corporation.
Inside the train cabins, a row of six seats is covered with panda-themed stickers depicting various images of the bears, some wearing navy and shark hats while others are shown eating bamboo leaves.
Around the train windows, there are pandas dressed in the yellow jumpsuit similar to the one worn by late martial arts superstar Bruce Lee, complete with bamboo nunchucks.
The city is promoting the bears’ presence following the birth of twin cubs by Ocean Park’s female giant panda, Ying Ying, and male partner, Le Le, in August, as well as the arrival of another pair, male An An and female Ke Ke, gifted by Beijing in September.
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By Winnie Wong
Panda-themed trains will run in southern Hong Kong, to and from the airport as well as on the high-speed rail to Shenzhen and Guangzhou as the city ramps up promoting the bears’ presence to drive tourism.
Two trains operating on the South Island Line connecting Admiralty and Ap Lei Chau and a thematic Airport Express train debuted on Thursday with the panda designs.
The service running from West Kowloon terminus to neighbouring Shenzhen and Guangzhou will start in January next year.
“I hope this encourages local passengers and tourists to travel around and brings joy and vibrancy to our city,” said Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, the managing director of the MTR Corporation.
Inside the train cabins, a row of six seats is covered with panda-themed stickers depicting various images of the bears, some wearing navy and shark hats while others are shown eating bamboo leaves.
Around the train windows, there are pandas dressed in the yellow jumpsuit similar to the one worn by late martial arts superstar Bruce Lee, complete with bamboo nunchucks.
The city is promoting the bears’ presence following the birth of twin cubs by Ocean Park’s female giant panda, Ying Ying, and male partner, Le Le, in August, as well as the arrival of another pair, male An An and female Ke Ke, gifted by Beijing in September.
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Apple in talks with Tencent, ByteDance to bring AI to iPhones in China, report says
By Wency Chen
Apple is in early-stage talks with Tencent Holdings and ByteDance in a bid to introduce its Apple Intelligence to mainland China, where the smartphone maker is required to partner with a local AI model provider, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Apple has faced a slow process in trying to bring its new AI features to mainland iPhone users. The company was previously working with internet search giant Baidu, but that collaboration faced roadblocks owing to disputes over user data, US tech news outlet The Information previously reported. Baidu had sought access to certain iPhone user data to enhance AI performance, a request that violates Apple’s privacy policy, according to the report.
Tencent, Baidu, ByteDance and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Tencent’s share price gained 2.3 per cent in Hong Kong on Thursday, while Nasdaq-listed Baidu fell 2 per cent in pre-trading.
An AI partnership between Tencent and Apple could give a boost to both companies. Tencent launched its foundational AI model, Hunyuan, in September last year, with continuous updates since then. Tencent debuted its Yuanbao AI chatbot in May, trailing behind competitors. In October, Yuanbao’s web platform attracted 1.16 million visits, according to QuestMobile data.
ByteDance, the owner of Douyin and TikTok, has been competing fiercely in AI by lowering the price of its Doubao large model and ramping up advertising for its chatbot, also named Doubao, across Chinese social media platforms. As of October, the web version of Doubao garnered 16.88 million visits, while its app had 48.39 million monthly active users, positioning it as a front-runner in the market, according to QuestMobile.
ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo, in outlining his objectives for the fourth quarter, said the company would “keep expanding [its] advantage in current key [generative AI] applications” and “reinforce several vertical fields”, the Post reported last week.
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By Wency Chen
Apple is in early-stage talks with Tencent Holdings and ByteDance in a bid to introduce its Apple Intelligence to mainland China, where the smartphone maker is required to partner with a local AI model provider, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Apple has faced a slow process in trying to bring its new AI features to mainland iPhone users. The company was previously working with internet search giant Baidu, but that collaboration faced roadblocks owing to disputes over user data, US tech news outlet The Information previously reported. Baidu had sought access to certain iPhone user data to enhance AI performance, a request that violates Apple’s privacy policy, according to the report.
Tencent, Baidu, ByteDance and Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Tencent’s share price gained 2.3 per cent in Hong Kong on Thursday, while Nasdaq-listed Baidu fell 2 per cent in pre-trading.
An AI partnership between Tencent and Apple could give a boost to both companies. Tencent launched its foundational AI model, Hunyuan, in September last year, with continuous updates since then. Tencent debuted its Yuanbao AI chatbot in May, trailing behind competitors. In October, Yuanbao’s web platform attracted 1.16 million visits, according to QuestMobile data.
ByteDance, the owner of Douyin and TikTok, has been competing fiercely in AI by lowering the price of its Doubao large model and ramping up advertising for its chatbot, also named Doubao, across Chinese social media platforms. As of October, the web version of Doubao garnered 16.88 million visits, while its app had 48.39 million monthly active users, positioning it as a front-runner in the market, according to QuestMobile.
ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo, in outlining his objectives for the fourth quarter, said the company would “keep expanding [its] advantage in current key [generative AI] applications” and “reinforce several vertical fields”, the Post reported last week.
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Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai denies his call for Xi to step down equals incitement
By Brian Wong
Former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has told his national security trial in Hong Kong that the Covid-19 pandemic showed mainland China would be a “danger” to the world unless the regime changed by accepting Western democratic values and granted greater freedoms to its people.
Lai on Thursday also dismissed a notion raised during the proceedings that he had incited public hatred towards Chinese President Xi Jinping by suggesting the Communist Party could solve the tensions the country had with overseas governments by him stepping down and ceasing to dictate the direction of the party
On the 21st day of oral testimony at West Kowloon Court, the Apple Daily tabloid founder continued to offer justifications for his allegedly offensive remarks made in the online broadcast series “Live Chat with Jimmy Lai”, in which he shared his political views with mostly overseas guests.
The 77-year-old has denied two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications in breach of colonial-era legislation.
Prosecutors have alleged the shows formed part of a conspiracy by Lai and Apple Daily staff to instigate international sanctions and incite public hatred towards central and local authorities.
In an episode aired on September 17, 2020, Lai echoed a guest speaker’s analogy drawing similarities between the coronavirus pandemic and the Pearl Harbour attack, saying the mainland’s threat to the world was akin to the danger posed to the United States by Japan during wartime.
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By Brian Wong
Former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has told his national security trial in Hong Kong that the Covid-19 pandemic showed mainland China would be a “danger” to the world unless the regime changed by accepting Western democratic values and granted greater freedoms to its people.
Lai on Thursday also dismissed a notion raised during the proceedings that he had incited public hatred towards Chinese President Xi Jinping by suggesting the Communist Party could solve the tensions the country had with overseas governments by him stepping down and ceasing to dictate the direction of the party
On the 21st day of oral testimony at West Kowloon Court, the Apple Daily tabloid founder continued to offer justifications for his allegedly offensive remarks made in the online broadcast series “Live Chat with Jimmy Lai”, in which he shared his political views with mostly overseas guests.
The 77-year-old has denied two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law, and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications in breach of colonial-era legislation.
Prosecutors have alleged the shows formed part of a conspiracy by Lai and Apple Daily staff to instigate international sanctions and incite public hatred towards central and local authorities.
In an episode aired on September 17, 2020, Lai echoed a guest speaker’s analogy drawing similarities between the coronavirus pandemic and the Pearl Harbour attack, saying the mainland’s threat to the world was akin to the danger posed to the United States by Japan during wartime.
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Hong Kong Fringe Club revives Fringe Festival to foster East-meets-West cultural exchange
By Enid Tsui
The Hong Kong Fringe Club is relaunching its annual festival after a gap of 27 years.
A new Fringe Festival will take place from January 2-25, 2025 at the non-profit arts centre under the club’s new management team, selected in December 2023 to run the club on behalf of the government, which owns the historic building it occupies – the now 111-year-old South Block of the Old Dairy Farm Depot at 2 Lower Albert Road, Central.
Giving details of the festival at a news conference on December 19, the club’s chairwoman, Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee, wife of former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying, said the festival would continue the Fringe Festival’s tradition of inclusiveness.
“We hope that the festival will promote a new generation of Hong Kong artists and Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West cultural exchange hub,” she said.
While the festival programme remains loyal to the open nature of international fringe festivals, a selection process was required because of the limited space and time frame, Leung added.
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By Enid Tsui
The Hong Kong Fringe Club is relaunching its annual festival after a gap of 27 years.
A new Fringe Festival will take place from January 2-25, 2025 at the non-profit arts centre under the club’s new management team, selected in December 2023 to run the club on behalf of the government, which owns the historic building it occupies – the now 111-year-old South Block of the Old Dairy Farm Depot at 2 Lower Albert Road, Central.
Giving details of the festival at a news conference on December 19, the club’s chairwoman, Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee, wife of former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying, said the festival would continue the Fringe Festival’s tradition of inclusiveness.
“We hope that the festival will promote a new generation of Hong Kong artists and Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West cultural exchange hub,” she said.
While the festival programme remains loyal to the open nature of international fringe festivals, a selection process was required because of the limited space and time frame, Leung added.
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Chinese university investigates forged Cambridge invitation that led to visa rejections
By William Zheng
A prestigious Chinese university is investigating after media reports alleged a staff member leading an exchange programme fabricated invitation letters from Cambridge University, resulting in more than 20 students being rejected for visas and facing a future ban by Britain.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Zhejiang University’s school of economics said it had filed police reports after receiving student complaints on December 6 regarding alleged fraud in their visa applications to attend a joint forum in Britain, causing a mass rejection of their visas.
Acknowledging the incident as a grave concern for the school and students, the university said it had also set up a team to conduct an in-depth investigation of the incident and “make every effort to safeguard the rights and interests of students”.
It said the team would “continue to negotiate in various directions and through multiple channels under the guidance of superior foreign affairs departments”, and strive to minimise the impact on students. It also vowed to “sternly punish” anyone found guilty of illegal behaviour.
The school’s statement came days after several mainland media outlets said a staff member in charge of the international exchange programme and a visa agent allegedly fabricated an invitation letter from a Cambridge University professor.
The students had their visas rejected and said the alleged fraud jeopardised the chances of students who wanted to do further study in Britain.
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By William Zheng
A prestigious Chinese university is investigating after media reports alleged a staff member leading an exchange programme fabricated invitation letters from Cambridge University, resulting in more than 20 students being rejected for visas and facing a future ban by Britain.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Zhejiang University’s school of economics said it had filed police reports after receiving student complaints on December 6 regarding alleged fraud in their visa applications to attend a joint forum in Britain, causing a mass rejection of their visas.
Acknowledging the incident as a grave concern for the school and students, the university said it had also set up a team to conduct an in-depth investigation of the incident and “make every effort to safeguard the rights and interests of students”.
It said the team would “continue to negotiate in various directions and through multiple channels under the guidance of superior foreign affairs departments”, and strive to minimise the impact on students. It also vowed to “sternly punish” anyone found guilty of illegal behaviour.
The school’s statement came days after several mainland media outlets said a staff member in charge of the international exchange programme and a visa agent allegedly fabricated an invitation letter from a Cambridge University professor.
The students had their visas rejected and said the alleged fraud jeopardised the chances of students who wanted to do further study in Britain.
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Hong Kong scientists to build robot for China’s Chang’e-8 moon mission
By Holly Chik
Hong Kong-based scientists will take the lead in building a lunar surface robot for China’s 2028 moon mission, according to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The research team plans to create a robot capable of scientific exploration, instrument deployment, and installation tasks for the Chang’e-8 mission.
The robot will pave the way for a long-term unmanned facility in the lunar polar region as part of China’s ambitions to set up an international research station on the moon, HKUST said.
The robot will include a mobile charging station, which is expected to power other lunar devices, improving the efficiency of lunar exploration and collaborative operations.
“The project will propel technology for deep space exploration and lay the groundwork for future scientific research at an international lunar research station,” HKUST said.
Yu Hongyu, director of the Space Science and Technology Institute at HKUST, said the team aimed to create an innovative robot with advanced materials and manufacturing techniques.
He added that the robot should be equipped with temperature management systems to ensure it can operate in the extremely low temperatures at the lunar south pole.
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By Holly Chik
Hong Kong-based scientists will take the lead in building a lunar surface robot for China’s 2028 moon mission, according to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
The research team plans to create a robot capable of scientific exploration, instrument deployment, and installation tasks for the Chang’e-8 mission.
The robot will pave the way for a long-term unmanned facility in the lunar polar region as part of China’s ambitions to set up an international research station on the moon, HKUST said.
The robot will include a mobile charging station, which is expected to power other lunar devices, improving the efficiency of lunar exploration and collaborative operations.
“The project will propel technology for deep space exploration and lay the groundwork for future scientific research at an international lunar research station,” HKUST said.
Yu Hongyu, director of the Space Science and Technology Institute at HKUST, said the team aimed to create an innovative robot with advanced materials and manufacturing techniques.
He added that the robot should be equipped with temperature management systems to ensure it can operate in the extremely low temperatures at the lunar south pole.
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Hong Kong customs seizes HK$160 million worth of drugs in run up to Christmas
By Danny Mok
Hong Kong customs has seized HK$160 million (US$20.6 million) worth of narcotics, hidden by international drug syndicates in a variety of items including a porcelain Christmas snowman decoration and a baby car seat ahead of the year-end holiday season.
Various drugs weighing a total of 373kg (822lbs) were seized in 83 cases detected at the Hong Kong International Airport by the Customs and Excise Department between November 1 and Monday, leading to the arrest of 22 people.
In one case, a snowman decoration that arrived on November 16 from Germany raised suspicions during an X-ray scan.
Inside the snowman, officers found a powder-like substance later confirmed to be ketamine. The 8.5kg haul was estimated to have a street value of HK$4.12 million.
Separately, on December 7, a shipment from Germany labelled as containing a baby car seat was found to have a cracked component and a hidden compartment in the cushion.
Officers discovered 2.5kg of concealed Ecstasy pills, with an estimated market value of HK$420,000.
The greatest quantity by weight among the drugs seized was cannabis, with a total haul of 100kg – an increase of more than 60 per cent from the same period last year.
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By Danny Mok
Hong Kong customs has seized HK$160 million (US$20.6 million) worth of narcotics, hidden by international drug syndicates in a variety of items including a porcelain Christmas snowman decoration and a baby car seat ahead of the year-end holiday season.
Various drugs weighing a total of 373kg (822lbs) were seized in 83 cases detected at the Hong Kong International Airport by the Customs and Excise Department between November 1 and Monday, leading to the arrest of 22 people.
In one case, a snowman decoration that arrived on November 16 from Germany raised suspicions during an X-ray scan.
Inside the snowman, officers found a powder-like substance later confirmed to be ketamine. The 8.5kg haul was estimated to have a street value of HK$4.12 million.
Separately, on December 7, a shipment from Germany labelled as containing a baby car seat was found to have a cracked component and a hidden compartment in the cushion.
Officers discovered 2.5kg of concealed Ecstasy pills, with an estimated market value of HK$420,000.
The greatest quantity by weight among the drugs seized was cannabis, with a total haul of 100kg – an increase of more than 60 per cent from the same period last year.
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Bakery assault video sparks anti-Chinese backlash in Indonesia, exposing deep-rooted prejudices
By Johannes Nugroho
A video showing a female bakery employee being assaulted by an ethnic Chinese man has gone viral in Indonesia, igniting an online firestorm that experts say reflects entrenched prejudices against the Chinese-Indonesian community and long-standing historical traumas within the country’s multi-ethnic society.
The assailant, identified as 35-year-old Cakung resident George Sugama Halim – the son of the bakery chain’s owners – was taken into custody on Monday.
The victim, 19-year-old bakery employee Dwi Ayu, testified under oath before a parliamentary committee that she was attacked on October 17 after refusing to deliver George’s online food order to his bedroom because she did believe it was part of her job responsibilities.
Her lawyers had lobbied MPs to give her a hearing, amid speculation—though unconfirmed—that George’s family is said to be on good terms with the police.
This situation has raised concerns about the police’s slow response, which has come under public scrutiny. The police have denied any claims of inaction, emphasising their commitment to managing the situation effectively.
“I threatened him I would report him to the police”, Dwi told the committee on Tuesday. “But he jeeringly replied, ‘You’re a poor nobody, and I’m rich and above the law, so dream on!’”
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By Johannes Nugroho
A video showing a female bakery employee being assaulted by an ethnic Chinese man has gone viral in Indonesia, igniting an online firestorm that experts say reflects entrenched prejudices against the Chinese-Indonesian community and long-standing historical traumas within the country’s multi-ethnic society.
The assailant, identified as 35-year-old Cakung resident George Sugama Halim – the son of the bakery chain’s owners – was taken into custody on Monday.
The victim, 19-year-old bakery employee Dwi Ayu, testified under oath before a parliamentary committee that she was attacked on October 17 after refusing to deliver George’s online food order to his bedroom because she did believe it was part of her job responsibilities.
Her lawyers had lobbied MPs to give her a hearing, amid speculation—though unconfirmed—that George’s family is said to be on good terms with the police.
This situation has raised concerns about the police’s slow response, which has come under public scrutiny. The police have denied any claims of inaction, emphasising their commitment to managing the situation effectively.
“I threatened him I would report him to the police”, Dwi told the committee on Tuesday. “But he jeeringly replied, ‘You’re a poor nobody, and I’m rich and above the law, so dream on!’”
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Hong Kong Observatory issues first cold weather warning of this winter
By Oscar Liu
The Hong Kong Observatory has issued its first cold weather warning of the season, with temperatures expected to drop to as low as 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) in urban areas and to single digits in the New Territories on Friday.
The forecaster said on Thursday residents could expect cooler weather in the coming days.
“The winter monsoon will continue to bring fine and dry weather to the coast of Guangdong in the next couple of days. The temperature difference between day and night will be rather large over the region and the weather will be generally cold [on Friday] morning,” the Observatory said, issuing the warning at 4.20pm.
At Tai Mo Shan, the highest peak in Hong Kong, the temperature remained below 10 degrees on Thursday, dropping to 5.5 degrees at its coldest point.
The Observatory said the weather would be cool in the morning and at night over coastal areas in the beginning and middle of next week.
The forecaster said temperatures on Friday morning would be cold, with the mercury dropping to about 12 degrees in urban areas and slightly lower in the New Territories.
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By Oscar Liu
The Hong Kong Observatory has issued its first cold weather warning of the season, with temperatures expected to drop to as low as 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) in urban areas and to single digits in the New Territories on Friday.
The forecaster said on Thursday residents could expect cooler weather in the coming days.
“The winter monsoon will continue to bring fine and dry weather to the coast of Guangdong in the next couple of days. The temperature difference between day and night will be rather large over the region and the weather will be generally cold [on Friday] morning,” the Observatory said, issuing the warning at 4.20pm.
At Tai Mo Shan, the highest peak in Hong Kong, the temperature remained below 10 degrees on Thursday, dropping to 5.5 degrees at its coldest point.
The Observatory said the weather would be cool in the morning and at night over coastal areas in the beginning and middle of next week.
The forecaster said temperatures on Friday morning would be cold, with the mercury dropping to about 12 degrees in urban areas and slightly lower in the New Territories.
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China’s neutrino facility reaches final stage before scientists hunt for ghost particles
By Dannie Peng
A mega scientific facility in south China designed to measure neutrinos, the elusive “ghost particles”, has started filling with ultrapure water, marking the final critical milestone before research begins.
The ultrapure water – which has been filtered through multiple stages of the water purification system – began filling the detector at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (Juno) in Guangdong province on Wednesday at a rate of about 100 tonnes per hour, according to the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the project’s lead institution.
To try to measure the mass of different types of neutrinos produced by two nearby nuclear power plants, Juno’s key component is a massive subterranean sphere detector. It will be filled with 20,000 tonnes of a “liquid scintillator” and suspended in 35,000 tonnes of pure water 700 metres (2,300 feet) below ground.
The liquid filling process will be carried out in two stages and will take eight months, according to IHEP.
In the first two months, ultrapure water will fill both the interior and exterior of the giant sphere. During the following six months, the ultrapure water inside the sphere will be replaced by liquid scintillator.
Neutrinos – the smallest and lightest of the 12 elementary particles that make up the material world – are difficult to detect because they have no electrical charge, very little mass and travel at near light speed.
Although almost all the particles will pass through the detection liquid without a trace, some will interact with the liquid, triggering two flashes of light which will then be recorded by thousands of light-detecting phototubes.
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By Dannie Peng
A mega scientific facility in south China designed to measure neutrinos, the elusive “ghost particles”, has started filling with ultrapure water, marking the final critical milestone before research begins.
The ultrapure water – which has been filtered through multiple stages of the water purification system – began filling the detector at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (Juno) in Guangdong province on Wednesday at a rate of about 100 tonnes per hour, according to the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the project’s lead institution.
To try to measure the mass of different types of neutrinos produced by two nearby nuclear power plants, Juno’s key component is a massive subterranean sphere detector. It will be filled with 20,000 tonnes of a “liquid scintillator” and suspended in 35,000 tonnes of pure water 700 metres (2,300 feet) below ground.
The liquid filling process will be carried out in two stages and will take eight months, according to IHEP.
In the first two months, ultrapure water will fill both the interior and exterior of the giant sphere. During the following six months, the ultrapure water inside the sphere will be replaced by liquid scintillator.
Neutrinos – the smallest and lightest of the 12 elementary particles that make up the material world – are difficult to detect because they have no electrical charge, very little mass and travel at near light speed.
Although almost all the particles will pass through the detection liquid without a trace, some will interact with the liquid, triggering two flashes of light which will then be recorded by thousands of light-detecting phototubes.
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Over half of drug users in Hong Kong take at least 3 years to seek help: survey
By Jess Ma
More than half of drug users in Hong Kong abused illegal substances for at least three years before seeking help, a survey by an NGO has found, with the youngest polled being a nine-year-old who took “space oil”.
The Hong Kong Christian Service, which revealed its results on Thursday, found that 55 per cent of the survey’s 304 respondents only sought help after taking drugs for at least three years. More than a fifth of this group of users had been using drugs for eight years or more before seeking help.
“Our analysis has found an overestimation of user’s ability to get off drugs,” said Samson Yip Wing-yue, the organisation’s service supervisor.
“Underestimating the negative effects of drugs … reduced drug users’ motivation to seek help.”
He added that the negative impression of drug addicts in society also deterred them from seeking help.
The survey of 304 drug users in the city was conducted from September to November this year.
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By Jess Ma
More than half of drug users in Hong Kong abused illegal substances for at least three years before seeking help, a survey by an NGO has found, with the youngest polled being a nine-year-old who took “space oil”.
The Hong Kong Christian Service, which revealed its results on Thursday, found that 55 per cent of the survey’s 304 respondents only sought help after taking drugs for at least three years. More than a fifth of this group of users had been using drugs for eight years or more before seeking help.
“Our analysis has found an overestimation of user’s ability to get off drugs,” said Samson Yip Wing-yue, the organisation’s service supervisor.
“Underestimating the negative effects of drugs … reduced drug users’ motivation to seek help.”
He added that the negative impression of drug addicts in society also deterred them from seeking help.
The survey of 304 drug users in the city was conducted from September to November this year.
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